TheConnoisseurReviews

"Fighting with My Family" has no right being as good as it is. By the trailers it looked like a direct to video WWE produced vehicle that they wanted to get quick buck with The Rock bankability. However, it's a movie with a lot of charm, humor, and most importantly heart. The film itself is very British in terms of it's jokes, but that adds to the likability of the characters and the timing and nature of the jokes. The film feels like an indie movie and that's a good thing because it adds to the grit of becoming a professional wrestler and Paige as a person and character. And this film quite honestly isn't just for wrestling fans, it's for anyone that likes movies about the underdog and a family that is bounded by a similar passion. Yes, it does have insider terms and jokes, but the film does a great job of explaining it for the general audience, while also showing them why people are such huge fans of wrestling and the amount of hard work and dedication that goes into the sport. It is a great movie that anyone can enjoy and have a great time with, but there are a few things that will make wrestling fans enjoy it just a little bit more. Go check it out, if you haven't, I give it 4.5/5

"Captain Marvel" is another solid addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe series of movies. While I don't think it's a top tier film like "The Avengers," "Black Panther," or "Captain America: Civil War" or even a second tier set of films like "Doctor Strange," the Thor series, or "Ant-Man," it is really entertaining and fun with a lot of world building.

The film tells a really good story of empowerment, self discovery, and not taking things on face value because there is always more than meets the eyes. The script is filled with great character moments, especially developing Nick Fury and making Captain Marvel a total bad-A. There's a lot of funny lines and snarky remarks that are true to the Marvel formula. My main issue is with how the film handles its plots, they pack a lot in to making the film fit within the MCU that it tends to rush through a lot of interesting storylines that the film sets up. And we get some hollow victories. The stakes also don't feel completely all there because we know the outcome of most of the characters. On the flip side, we do get a lot of great character moments.

Speaking of the characters, this movie has a tone of great ones. Sam Jackson as Nick Fury is great as ever and we get more softer moments with him. He's always been a harden soldier and it's great seeing him early in his career, when he was a bit more naive. Brie Larson as Captain Marvel is a true standout and a great addition to the plethora of great Marvel Characters. She has some of the best parts of every characters that make up the MCU. She has Iron Man's snark, Cap's leadership, Thor's confidence, Hulk's Strength, and Widow's resourcefulness. So she is a great culmination of the heroes we love, while being her own. Ben Mendelsohn and Jude Law are both great as powerful threats and allies.

Again, "Captain Marvel" isn't a groundbreaking film in the MCU, but it is a film with a lot of entertainment, fun, and world building. It has characters that are great additions to the MCU and the film does a great job of building up towards "Avengers: Endgame." It is worth the watch, I give it 3.5/5

The first two "How to Train Your Dragon" films have been one of the greatest sets of films of the last decade and the third one does not disappoint in capping off this amazing series of epic films. Yes, to put it bluntly, "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" is amazing.

The first thing you'll notice is the leap in animation. The first couple movies are pillars in terms of visuals in the animation world and this one only enhances and improves on that. The backgrounds are vivid and well detailed, the character animations are fluid and weighted, the details in the character's design are precise and meticulous, and the fire, water, hair, scale, and other visual effects are breathtaking. Yes this film is a visual treat from start to finish. The cinematography like in the other films are just breathtaking. The flying sequences are absorbing that you get lost in the visually detailed world. The camera work along with the stunning visuals create a living breathing world that you almost forget doesn't exist.

The characters are great. The dynamic between Toothless and Hiccup is still the heart of the film. It's amazing to see the amount of growth these two have had since their previous adventures. One thing that I particularly love about this series is the character progression from film to film, they don't stop growing and evolving. The side characters are great and I like how they are tested on how well they work together under Hiccups leadership.

Music has always been in the forefront of this series and it does not disappoint here either. John Powell's classic scores still bring that same sense of wonder and mystique, while the new ones enhance the world and character themes, It makes you feel every emotion that the filmmakers want at every venture of the film from beginning to end, whether it's humor, fear, or tears.

Dean DeBlois has crafted an amazing world with so much heart and wonder. He's made a modern epic series of films that rival the greatest Hollywood fantasies and epics, such as The Lord of the Rings or "Gladiator." He knows exactly, when to throw in humor or make you cry. The final 15 mins of the film are some of the best moments in any film, period. It's filled with moments of real danger, visceral action, and tears that would make even the hardest of souls cry.

I've praised "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" and made it sound like it's even better than the second film. However, it does fall short, but only by a little. This film is more humor heavy, but that doesn't take away from the real emotional moments in it. However, the stakes do feel less here and the villain, while solid for the film, wasn't necessarily needed. He added a nice dimension, but the film could have sufficed and excelled on the drama between Hiccup and Toothless and them learning to grow and be individual characters. These are minor complaints in an otherwise great film.

This is how you end a trilogy. The Dragon series is one of not just modern animation's, but modern film's greatest series. And The Hidden World concludes this franchise in a bittersweet, but satisfying end. I give it 4.5/5